Electric vehicle power distribution network

• US 20030220840A1
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael G., Palic, Jeffrey A., Hansen, Steve P., Vashi, Tushar
• Application Number:
  US10/358,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220840A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/80 Exchanging energy storage elements, e.g. removable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/12 Billing, invoicing, buying or selling transactions or other related activities, e.g. cost or usage evaluation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

An electric vehicle 28, 30 power distribution system 70 is provided which allows for a vehicle operator to acquire a fully charged battery 20/24.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle power distribution network, comprising:

a plurality of energy stations, each said station having a supply of charged batteries;

a monetary exchange mechanism to allow a customer to purchase a charged battery for their electric powered vehicle;

a battery installation facility to allow for installation of said charged batteries into said customer'"'"'s vehicle; and

a battery storage area to receive a depleted charge battery from said customer.

2. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, further including a plurality of said energy stations in a common metropolitan area.

3. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, wherein said energy station has facilities onsite for charging batteries.

4. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 3, wherein said energy station can sell a new battery.

5. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, wherein said energy station can sell a new battery.

6. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, wherein a customer may self-service their vehicle.

7. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, having premium service with an attendant to remove a customer'"'"'s depleted charged battery and install a charged battery into said customer'"'"'s vehicle.

8. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, for electric vehicles having four or more wheels.

9. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, for two-wheel electric vehicles.

10. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, wherein said energy station also sells repair services.

11. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, wherein the monetary exchange for said charged battery is dependent upon the charged state of said customer'"'"'s battery.

12. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, wherein said monetary exchange mechanism includes charging said customer'"'"'s electric bill for said charge.

13. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, wherein said customer purchases charged batteries at a point of purchase of said electric vehicle.

14. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, wherein the entity having ownership interest in said energy station has an ownership in said battery.

15. An electric vehicle power distribution network as described in claim 1, wherein a party not owning said vehicle has an ownership interest in said vehicle battery.